


paint a smile perfectly on you

by graceana



Series: a flowers sun, like you're mine [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 17 and 19 (◠‿◠✿), M/M, ahahhaha, coffeshop!harry, flower!shop louis, im really bad at writing short things im sorry, im sorry if this sucks, of course there's minor ziam because i can't resist, yay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-28
Updated: 2013-05-28
Packaged: 2017-12-13 05:01:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/820296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graceana/pseuds/graceana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>louis freaks out, buys a plane ticket and ends up falling asleep on a random couch in france. </p><p>"He plucks another yellow flower from the case and sticks it behind his own ear. He sighs contently and decides maybe choosing law wasn’t such a bad idea because he ended up freaking out over it and buying a ticket to France where he fell asleep on some random couch in some random coffee shop which lead to him meeting this deathly gorgeous boy who’s as sweet as chocolate mousse and can make him smile like Da Vinci did Mona Lisa."</p>
            </blockquote>





	paint a smile perfectly on you

**Author's Note:**

> okay so basically i woke up from a dream or something or just woke up and this idea came to me so i wrote it. umm im really bad at writing short things so im sorry; also 19 year old louis and 17 year old harry can you say pain. and i think i just really have a thing for them speaking french??? so i hope you like it!  
> also the title is from 'boomerang' by the summer set so yea.  
> (and thanks to bri because she's the best and beta'd it for me and corrected things and sigh she's the best.)

He’s not entirely sure why he has this freak-out-crisis right after his last exam but he leaves with tousled hair from trying to answer his last questions within the last 10 minutes and pulling on it to somehow calm himself and his shirt feels like it’s suffocating him. It hits him like a freight train, basically.

It’s like. He just finished his first year of uni for law and it was bullshit, all of it. He doesn’t even _like_ law; doesn’t even know why he went into it in the first place. But he’s freaking out because that’s a year of his life wasted and a year of tuition out the window.

He calls his mum when he gets home, slightly hysterical but tries not to let his voice waver enough for her to pick up any of it, she does though, of course she does because she’s his mum. She thankfully doesn’t ask but, when Louis tells her he’s going to treat himself to a vacation she agrees full heartedly and tells him if he needs anything to just call her.

 (He doesn’t tell her the vacation may be longer than a regular one. He doesn’t tell her he’s not going back to uni next year, figures he’ll tell her soon enough or she’ll find out when he doesn’t register for his classes.)

Niall comes in to his room not even ten minutes later, beer in hand, goofy smile on his face, and cheeks already beginning to flush.

“Finally,” He sighs in relief because the school year is over and it’s like 1000 pounds of weight has been lifted of their shoulders.

Louis shakes his leg, a nervous tick. He sort of forgot he’d be leaving Niall too, and Zayn, and Liam but he needs this, needs a change. Needs something to get his mind off of what his life has become, and how quickly it’s gone down the drain.

Niall looks to him with raised eyebrows, “ Lou? Y’alright?” He’s cautious almost like Louis’ a wounded animal. He’s not too sure he’s wrong.

 “Yea, just. Ya know. Umm.” He stutters. It’s like all this other stuff hits Louis then, like how Niall is probably going to need a roommate for half the month’s rent, and how Zayn’s going to be lonely at the record store now, how Liam won’t have anyone to go on his runs with. It’s like on top of his initial crisis he’s having smaller ones to make it feel like there are bricks piled on his chest, suffocating him worse than his shirt already was.

Niall must sense that he’s having some sort of breakdown or that his blood pressure has sky rocketed because he puts down his beer on Louis’ dresser, comes over to him and wraps his warm arms around Louis and whispers how he’ll be alright and how he’s right here.

Louis doesn’t cry, he just breaths a little heavier than usual, leans against Niall and lets all the weight he’s feeling be shared for even the briefest of moments so he can breathe. Niall is like his security blanket; when he’s scared, or needs something to calm him down he goes to Niall and just hugs him until he’s a little better than he was before.

Niall is petting his hair while humming under his breath, and cooing how he’ll be alright. He looks up to him then, straight into the Caribbean colored eyes and whispers, barely audible, “I’m leaving.”

He doesn’t seem shocked at all, almost like he was expecting it. He shakes his head fondly, a small smile tugging at his lips. He squeezes Louis a little tighter and then pulls away so he can look at Louis’ face, blue meeting blue.

“I could’ve figured that out, considering you’re duffle is over there on the floor,” He laughs, but it’s still like he knew it was coming without the bag being there.

“I might not come back?” He tries because he really might not, at least for a while.

Niall nods like he understands and maybe he does because Niall always understood Louis, somehow with his stupid Irish-self. He never needed Louis to explain when he came home from a party crying or would have a breakdown in his law book. He was always just there with open arms and a soothing voice.

“Where ya goin’?” He asks.

“Not sure yet,” He chuckles dryly. He’s not sure, wants to keep some sort of spontaneity to it, because he’s Louis Tomlinson and who does spontaneity better than him?

“Right. Well, when?”

“I was gonna go today?” He says it more like a question than an answer.

“Could you at least stay tonight so we have a night together before you go around the world some place?” His eyes are twinkling and Louis thinks for the millionth time in the last two years of his life that he couldn’t have asked for a better best friend.

 

He nods, “Yea, might as well call Zayn and Liam too.”

“Zayn’s gonna have your head for leaving him with us two,” Niall laughs, big and bright just like the sun.

“I know. I wouldn’t be able to deal with your drinking and Liam’s constant need for attention at the same time either,” Niall’s no longer holding him, his emotions under control and he can feel his blood pressure going down.

He rolls his eyes fondly, “The attention Liam always wants is Zayn’s.”

“Exactly. Do you know how clingy and handsy you are when you’re drunk though?” He teases.

Niall playfully punches him in the shoulder, “I’ll call ‘em.”

*

“I’m not gonna lie I saw this comin’,” Liam says around a mouth full of greasy pizza.

Louis just furrows his brows at him.

“You looked like you were about to have a mental breakdown the other day when I saw you at the library,” He states.

Louis nods. He was having a mental breakdown at the library the other day. Over law. He swears he’s never hated something so much. Why did no one talk him out of _law_?

They talk nonsense, eat pizza, drink some beer, watch some stupid movie their high school class filmed their senior year and pass out at one in the morning tangled together and sticky because Niall spilled the beer all over everyone. (No, they don’t clean up because their teenage boys and lazy.)

*

When they wake up Zayn does yell at him (very fondly) about how he’s stuck with these two idiots until Louis comes back, but he ends it with a hug and a sloppy cheek kiss which Louis knows is the most heartfelt goodbye he’ll get from Zayn.

Liam is the one that shows the most emotion and starts to have his own freak-out. Apparently, Louis is the one that keeps him sane which Louis replies  _I’m not even sane so how?!_  They end up laughing it off and hugging it out.

He and Niall don’t say bye until Niall drops him off at the airport.

Niall, being the gentleman that he is, gets Louis’ bags for him out of the trunk and places them at his side.

“Don’t lose touch,” He points at him accusingly like that was the first step in his plan for something new.

“Never,” He smiles his charming smile that makes everyone melt.

Niall sees through it though because he’s known Louis too long and knows him too well,“Tomlinson, I’m serious you do and I’ll find wherever you went and cut your balls off.”

He rolls his eyes fondly then pulls Niall into a crushing hug, squeezing tight.

“I’m gonna miss you,” He whispers and holds on a little more tightly.

“Me too, Lou,” Niall pulls away then, smiles and kisses his forehead.

“At least call me when you land yea? Make sure you’re not dead and all.” He rubs the back of his neck, clearly starting to get emotional because his best friend who’s been by his side since he was ten and Louis was twelve is now leaving him.

“Promise. Bye Ni.” Louis walks away but runs back for one last tight hug.

“Alright go on before we both cry or something.” Niall pushes him, wiping at his already watering eyes.

He goes in the airport looks at the next flight that’s leaving.

He buys a ticket.

*

When he steps out of the airport in Lyon, France the sun it just starting to set and the city is starting to come alive. He thinks it’s funny how much more alive things are at night than during the day. Ironic.

The only mistake he made was that he hasn’t spoken a word of French in about a year, so finding some place to stay might be an issue. But he has a translator on his phone so he’ll be okay.

There’s a man with a brief case standing to his side so he turns to him, “Parlez-vous anglais?” He asks. He’s sure it’s right but there’s not a doubt that he isn’t rusty.

The man laughs, “Yea.” He’s Irish, thank god.

“Oh thank goodness,” He sighs in relief, “Do you know of any hotels around here?”

The man seems to think for a moment, and then looks Louis up and down. Louis chokes and puts his hands up, “No, no, no. I just really don’t know where the hotels are.” He says, because he is not some call boy.

Brief Case laughs again, “I’m just kiddin’ with ya. Yea, there are about four within the next three blocks.” He points to their right where Louis can see tons of lights and hear cars beeping. He hopes it’s quieter as the night goes on.

“Merci. Bye.” He half shouts as he makes his way in the direction he was pointed.

It takes him about a half hour and asking about three different people in half French half English for directions but he makes it.

He walks into the main lobby, so relieved and so tired that when he walks up to the receptionist he doesn’t even try an accent to make his words sound coherent, “Parlez-vous anglais?”

Her lips are muted beige but she has fire engine red hair, “Oui. Would you like a room?”

“Oui. Thank you.” He says. He hands her his information and she looks skeptical for a moment.

“Err. I’m sorry sir, but you have to be at least twenty-one to get a room,” She looks to him with sad eyes like she can tell he’s tired and feels bad.

“Ugh. Okay.” He says defeated.

“I could speak to a manager?” She suggests.

“It’s alright, I don’t wanna trouble you.” He takes back his cards and ID and heads out with a wave and a thankful smile.

It’s completely dark now, the stars barely getting to shine because of the city lights overpowering them. He’s been sighing a lot today but he doesn’t care he’s tired and his arms hurt from his bags, which aren’t even much, just one duffle for clothes and things and his laptop, but they feel like he’s carrying a baby elephant.

He stops a couple on the street,” Err, oú est le café?”

They smile to him with sympathetic eyes; he’s getting tired of that. The man points behind them, wordlessly.

“Merci,” Louis mumbles and heads off to get something to keep him up. He’s heard French espresso is really strong.

Once he turns the corner there’s about four different places he can choose from. After walking past the first two which look a little too posh for him he decides on the third one where there are more people his age.

He spots a couch in the corner near the window and claims it as his own, throwing his bags on its dark maroon coffee stained fabric. Before getting up and ordering anything he sits back and takes a breather, rubbing his biceps and back of his neck from the strain of carrying both bags on one shoulder the whole time.

When he opens them back up there are less people then when he walked in, now only him, the employees and a few, what looks like students, in the opposite corner. He gets up, stretches, fixes his fringe, and walks over to order.

There’s a display case where you order, it has all sorts of French pastries, and this is when he realizes, when his stomach starts to rumble and growl with hunger, that he hasn’t eaten since before he left this morning.

“Bonsoir, how may I help you?” A young girl asks. She’s blonde with cartoonish looking eyes and an English accent, which he’s so thankful for.

“What do you suggest?” He asks because he’s eyeing about everything in the case.

“Well, the chocolate croissants are to die for, but the blueberry muffins are good too.” She smiles.

“Alright, I’ll have a chocolate croissant with a caramel frappe and could you put a shot of espresso in that?” He asks.

“Course!” She beams. She grabs a cup from the stack, “Name?”

“Louis,” He answers.

“Like the king?” Her eyes shine bright like the ocean on a sunny day.

“Like the king,” He nods in confirmation.

“Alright, I’ll grab you a fresh croissant from the back and be back with your drink!” She chirps happily. He waits at the counter patiently and when she comes back her cheeks are bright pink, like she’s been blushing. 

“Sorry,” She mumbles, shy, almost embarrassed.

“It’s alright love.” He’s not sure why she’s apologizing but goes with it.

She tells him the price which he pays with an added tip and goes back over to his couch. He sips the coffee, letting the hot liquid warm his throat and burn his tongue. It’s possibly the best coffee he’s ever had. When he takes a bite of the croissant he thinks he’s died and gone to heaven because it’s still warm so the chocolate is all gooey and melty.

After finishing the delicacy and cleaning up his crumbs, he lays back on the couch, just for a minute he tells himself, and closes his eyes.

*

He must have nodded off for a while because when he opens his eyes again the place is dead quiet and there’s a shy looking boy standing above him.

Louis tries not to scream but he fails and does.

The boys backs up, “Sorry! Désolé!” He shouts.

Louis rubs his eyes, “It’s alright you just scared me is all.”

The boy doesn’t look much older than Louis, maybe younger, taller, a little tan, big eyes, curly hair, nothing special.

“Oh, you’re English,” The boy states.

“As are you,” Louis replies, after hearing the slow drawl of the boys accent.

“Yea. Umm, I didn’t mean to wake you because you looked peacefully asleep but we’re closing and I already told Perrie I would make sure I’d wake you when I closed up.” He says timidly, like he’s disappointing him when he doesn’t even know him.

“It’s alright.” Louis says reluctant because he was cozy.

He gets up and starts to get his things, pulling out a sweater he left on top because he imagines its gotten cold out.

“Do you have the time?” He asks the boy.

“Yea, about half past 11.”

“Oh, god did I keep you late?” Louis panics. His first night here and he’s already fallen asleep in a stupid coffee shop.

“No I’m always the last one out.” The boy chuckles like it’s common knowledge.

“Oh. Okay. Could you maybe tell me somewhere where you don’t need to be twenty-one to check into?” He asks, he doesn’t want to because it’s weird but the boy seems harmless and helpful so why not.

“There’s a place near mine. It’s for like traveling students.” He informs him.

He’s not a student anymore but it’s just for a night, so he’ll take it.

“Okay, thanks. Where would that be?”

“I can take you if you’d like.” He’s gone shy again, his cheeks going rosy.

“Err, you’re not gonna murder me right?” Louis steps back.

The boy barks out a laugh but then quickly covers his mouth with his hand, which Louis notices has way too many bracelets on it.

“No. Just, I drive this scooter thing so it might be a tight squeeze with your bags.” He’s smiling now all shyness gone.

“That’s fine.”

“Okay just let be grab my jacket and we’ll be out.” The boys disappears which gives Louis about two minutes to freak out over why this boy is being so nice to him. He wonders if he’s like one of those people from that movie Taken but decides against it because he looks younger than Louis but he’s awfully taller than him.

He stops thinking when the boy is back and motioning for him to come on. He follows out the door and around the back to find a blue scooter sitting there. The boy- which he still doesn’t know the name of- gets on first and starts it up.

Louis goes to get behind the boy and situates himself with his bags hooked over his neck and shoulder so they won’t fall off while they’re driving, but then he thinks how he won’t fall off.

“What exactly do I hold on to?” He asks.

“Well you could either hold on to my waist or there’s this little bar on the back of the seat.” He answers, seeming more confident than he did back in the shop.

“Err.” Louis stutters because holding onto a strange boy’s waist wasn’t on his calendar when he landed in France but figures ‘fuck it’ and snakes his arms around the young boy’s waist, squeezing the littlest bit so he knows he’ ready. He speeds off seconds later, buzzing through the narrow streets that are lit by rows of bright street lamps. The night air is fresh, cool and crisp on his face, making his hair fly in every direction. He closes his eyes and rests his head against Scooter Boy’s back. They’re driving so smoothly along it feels like he’s flying.

They stop about ten minutes later, pulling up to a tall, stone building. There are endless rows and columns of windows, some glowing, and some darkened. He can hear a few slightly muted songs pouring out through them. He sees shadows of people in the windows and figures this is basically like his dorm back home.

 “This is it,” Scooter Boy states.

“Right,” Louis gets off and straightens his shirt, takes his bags off his aching shoulder and starts to rub at it. 

“Thanks, really I don’t know what I would’ve done. Thanks again-,” He trails off looking for a name.

“Harry,” The boy supplies, all white teeth and a _fucking dimple_ and if Louis said the boy was nothing special earlier he was clearly misjudging because if you have a fucking dimple then you’re pretty darn special, according to Louis at least.

They’ve pulled up right under the florescent street lamp so now Louis gets a real look at the boy. His hair is deep mahogany brown that curls in every direction the compass can point, his eyes shine bright green like a street light telling you to ‘go’. He’s not as tanned as Louis thought he was back at the shop instead he’s this color like someone put too much cream in their tea. He’s still smiling and that dimple, Louis swears, is mocking him.

Bottom Line this kid is pretty fucking beautiful, and he helps confused uni students who fall asleep on the couch in the place he works, and Louis may have a toothache because that’s too sweet.

He nods coming out of his stupor, “Louis,” He sticks out his hand, doing this whole thing backwards he notes.

Harry takes his hand, engulfing it in his own huge one.

“Nice to meet ya Louis,” He rolls his name around on his tongue, almost like he’s testing it out, seeing if he likes the way it feels. 

“You too.”

“I’ll see ya around,” Harry says and starts pulling away on the little blue scooter.

Louis stands there for a second and tries to think about what’s happened to him in the last two days.

He’s left England. He’s in France. He hasn’t called Niall or his Mum. He’s not sure where he’s going to stay after tonight. No job. No food. Just enough money. And on top of it all he’s just met the most gorgeous and sweetest boy ever because he fell asleep on a couch in a coffee shop.

It’s the start of something new, he thinks with a smile.

*

He goes two weeks without calling or getting a call from his Mum or Niall. He stays those two weeks in the building that Harry drove him to which he’s allowed to stay in for four months until he can find a more permanent residence, and he’s found a job.

It’s a record for him to say the least.

The job isn’t much. All he does is sell flowers and water plants with a little old lady, Camile, and young girl, Jade, who has dark blue-black hair. She’s also English and knows more French than him because she’s been here for almost two years, so he’s thankful. She deals with most of the customers while he sorts the arrangements and keeps the shop looking nice. It doesn’t pay much but it’s enough combined with the money that he has in his bank account.

He hasn’t seen Harry since he dropped him off that night. He is guilty of walking past the coffee shop a few times and going in though. Although he never sees him, just the little blonde girl who always brings him a fresh croissant or the special they have that week.

He’s coming out from the back when he hears Jade going on some rant in half-English half-French (Franglish, he thinks is a good name for it) to someone who’s voice is as deep as the ocean and is talking right back to her. They both speak it so fluently it’s hard for him to look away, he’s fascinated. When he rounds the corner and sees a head of curls, he stops and lifts the vase in front of his face and slowly starts to back away.

Of course, with his luck though he trips over one of the tall water pots they keep single flowers in. He curses himself.

“Lou?” He hears Jade call over to him. Great now he’s just made a fool of himself for probably the second time in front of Harry.

“I’m fine!” He calls back quickly. He gets up and runs to the back before either of them can come over to him.

He’s hiding in the back room, looking out of the small service window that they never use. He’s technically spying but he’s not, he’s just admiring two friends (is Harry even considered a friend?) talking and how the taller one is wagging his hips as he’s _leaning_ over the counter to talk to Jade. Louis’ not sure if he’s doing it on purpose, probably not, but if he was it’d be working.

There’s a hand on his shoulder and an almost silent, “What are you doing?” in a heavy French accent.

Somehow he manages not to scream, lets his brain process that it’s Camille and not someone trying to bash his brains out with a flower pot.

“Err, just, err.” He draws a blank, when he meets her soft hazel eyes.

She peaks over her shoulder and sees Harry leaving the shop (he only knows because he hears the little bell ring over the door) and Jade walking briskly over to them with her flats making a slight clicking noise.

Jade walks through the door and jumps a little not realizing that him and Camille were so close.

“Lou, what the heck?” She censors herself, because little old lady ears.

“Err.” He says again.

She looks to Camille then. They have a silent conversation with their eyes, they say a few short words in French that he’s never heard and they both end up smiling and giggling. They’re _giggling_ at him.

“Oi! Don’t start talking about me in a language I can’t understand!” He half yells.

“Oh, don’t worry Lou. She only said how you were checking out the customer,” Jade laughs.

He swallows, “Well, I wasn’t.”

Camille snorts and goes farther back into the room to start arranging some bouquets and taking inventory. She only comes in twice, maybe three times a week, because she’s old and tired but she trusts Jade, even Louis for the short time she’s known him, enough  to keep the place in check.

“What was that all about then, huh?” Jade asks him when they walk back out to pick up the flowers Louis dropped.

“N-nothing.” He stutters.

“Mhm,” She says with an appointed look, like she knows he’s lying.

“It was nothing.” He repeats as he drops the flowers back into the pot.

*

He wakes up with his phone blaring in his ear.  He doesn’t bother to check to see who it is, just groans and answers with a very bitchy and tired, “Hello?”

“Don’t give me that tone.” Comes a half-angry half-amused Irish voice.

“Niall, do you know what time it is?” He groans throwing his hand over his eyes.

“Yes, it’s one.” He says matter-of-factly.

“Oh, well. Why’d you call?” He’s tired and grumpy, and hasn’t had his tea yet, leave him alone.

“You’ve been gone a month and haven’t called me _or_ your mother.” He says it like a stern father scolding his child.

“You’ve been talking to my mum?” He sits up, rubbing his eyes, because now he’s up.

“Well when your eldest and only son calls you and says he’s leaving and doesn’t call for ages you go to the best friend for information so that’s what she did.”

“Ughhhh.” He has a headache he’s just noticed.

“I told her you were fine and that’d I’d have you call her. That you’re probably busy trying to pick up a fit bloke or something.” He laughs.

He replies with a grunt, telling Niall to continue.

“So, what have you been up to? Where even are you?” He asks.

“France. So it’s actually two over here, not one.” He informs him.

“Oh. How’s it been going? Have any like, life epiphanies?” He jokes.

“It’s nice. I have a flat that’s really cheap in some student building for three more months. I have a job at this flower shop – shut up Niall its good money and all I could find- I made one, maybe two friends. I have a terrible crush on this boy I met once on my first day here and then saw another time and tripped over flowers for. So I’d say it’s going peachy.” He’s not sure if he was going for sarcastic to begin with but that’s how it ends.

“Oh, Lou, I know you too well.” Niall laughs.

“Huh?”

“Me, Zayn and Liam made bets on this. I had the first day; I guess they owe me those beers.”

“What are you even on about?” Louis questions, he’s not amused.

“I knew the moment you left that no matter where you went you would probably end up pinning over some guy.”

“Oh, wow thanks Niall.” Now he’s sarcastic for sure.

“Alright, tell me how it happened.” He says.

So he does. He tells him about Brief Case, about the little blonde – who he still doesn’t know the name of- about how he fell asleep in the shop and was awoken by the boy with the emerald eyes and that stupid dimples. He tells him about the scooter ride. About how he saw him in the shop talking to Jade (“Niall you should’ve heard his mouth! He was fluent. I wanted to scream. And he was already _bent over_ _the counter_.)

Niall doesn’t interrupt him just lets him talk and talk until he’s too talked out that he stops and just sighs.

“Wow. Why don’t you just ask your friend for his number or something?” Niall suggests like it would be that easy.

“It’s not that easy Niall.” He moans.

He can almost hear Niall rolling his eyes.

“Well, when you make progress on it and stop being a little girl about it you can call me. I gotta go like give the cat a back massage.”

“We don’t even have a cat.” Louis whines.

He hears Niall’s loud, carefree laugh and a ‘bye, lou’ before the line goes dead.

*

“Es-tu boudes?” Jade asks him.

He rolls his eyes, “How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t understand.”

“The only way you’re gonna learn is if I talk in it to you.” She gives him this look as if to say ‘you know I’m right’.

“Ugh, I know. But could you just not today, I’m not in the mood.” He tells her with saucer eyes and pouty lips.

It’s been almost a week since he had that conversation with Niall. Each day after that he would walk by the coffee house, stop and try to convince himself to just walk in and ask if Harry was working but each time he ended up talking himself out of it and kept walking.

“Aww, what’s wrong with Lou-Lou?” She pushes his fringe out of his face.

“There’s sort of this boy,” His cheeks go as pink as the tulips they just got this morning, the corner of his mouth is resisting the urge to turn up into a grin.

“Oooohh, tell me about this boy.” She prompts, resting her chin in her hand and leaning on the counter.

“Well, he’s tall and super sweet. I met him the first night I was here; he helped me find a place to stay. He’s got these curls and these huge forest green eyes that make you just want to be a better person somehow. I’ve talked to him once, on that night, and haven’t since and wow I’m so pathetic and I’m pinning. God, I sound just like a 14 year old.” He hides his face in his hands.

She’s quiet and when he looks up she has this very focused look on her face like she’s trying to tie a cheery steam with her tongue. Then she brightens up and starts bouncing on her feet, excited.

“Aww Lou. I know exactly what you need. Come out with me and my friends this weekend!” She’s practically jumping now. Her curls bouncing like springs, the pink bow not budging from its place atop her head though.

“Yea, that would probably help. I haven’t been out in a while. Yea, I’ll go.” Her excitement must be contagious because he instantly perks up and can’t wait for Friday to come.

*

Jade wouldn’t tell him where they were going, all she said was to ‘dress nice but comfortable’ and he wasn’t sure what that meant so he ended up wearing his favorite pair of black skinnies, that make his arse look great, and a blue tee shirt. His fringe is just sort of lying on his forehead except for the parts he deliberately flicked with a little hairspray.

His phone buzzes in his pocket.

_hurry up i’m outside! x_

Jade texted him.

He checked himself once more in the mirror; made sure he had his wallet and keys and was out the door.

*

“So where’re we goin’?” He asked once he got in the car.

“Well we have to go pick up my friends first and then were going to the skating rink like fifteen minutes away.” She chirped.

He nodded his head.

He, truthfully, was actually really excited to be going out because besides going to work, the coffee house, and to get food he just stayed in his flat. He was also quite excited to be meeting other people because even though Jade was great and could have a laugh he liked having others around too.

They pulled up to a building similar to his, maybe a little smaller, and waited for Jade’s friends to come out.

Once he saw the two figures approaching he turned to Jade so quick in his seat he probably got whiplash.

“Those are you friends!” He panicked.

She smiled, sly with nothing but mirth in her eyes,” Yes.”

“Oh, you little. You knew! You knew who I was talking about.”

“Well it didn’t take me long to put together the pieces when you practically just described Harry, made a fool of yourself when you saw and it also doesn’t help that he doesn’t shut up about you either.” She said.

He started blushing in his seat, cotton candy pink was running up his neck and into his cheeks while his lips pulled up into a smile that he tried to hide but failed terribly at so his face just ended up looking like this weird folded piece of origami.

Before he or Jade could say anything else on the subject, Harry and the little blonde got into the backseat.

“Perrie, Louis. Louis, Perrie. Harry, Louis.” She started but Harry interrupted her, “I know.”

“Hi.” Louis turned in his seat a little to get a better look at Harry and Perrie who was starting at the both of them like they were some cartoon characters.

“Good one Jade.” She said and then they continued to fist bump over the console.

“Attendez de voir son cul dance ces jeans.” Jade winked at Harry through the rear view mirror.

Harry laughed but Louis didn’t miss the blush that dusted his cheeks.

“I swear to everything if you start talking about me in French again I will not hesitate to rip that bow out of your hair.” Louis said to Jade.

“She only said how nice you arse looks in those jeans.” Perrie informed him.

He rolled his eyes,” I know I have a great arse but can we please get going.”

She turned up the radio and they were off.

*

Louis not entirely sure why he said he would go skating, roller-balding whatever you want to call it, because he hasn’t since he was about eleven years old so he’s more than a little rusty.

Right now, Jade and Perrie are already out on the rink zipping by on their third lap. Jade is more like an expert because she can skate backwards and she even did some jump thing that Louis would break his head open on. He’s just standing on his skates near the opening and each time they pass by they beckon him to come on but he just shakes his head.

Harry’s just finished lacing up his skates, they make him even taller which isn’t fair because he’s two years younger than Louis (17 he found out on the way over here). He looks even tinier next to him. He’s pouting about it, well that, and because he’s still standing here and now Harry’s next to him flashing a shining smile his way like the Batman Signal in the dark of night.

“You gonna go?” He asks.

Louis looks up to him, he has to _look up to him_ , it’s ridiculous he feels like a smurf, “I will in a minute, yeah.”

Harry shrugs and then he’s skating off and around the rink. He’s slow at first but then he starts to pick up speed and is catching up with Perrie and Jade. They pass by him once more before Louis sees Jade whisper something in Harry’s ear.

The next time they pass by the girls continue around with smirks and nothing but mischief in their eyes. Harry slows down and comes up to Louis. His grin he wore before has turned into a shy smile, his dimple barely indenting. He shakes out his air and licks his lips before he talks, almost like a nervous tick.

“Are you gonna come out?” He asks.

“I haven’t done this since I was about eleven; I think I might die if I do.” He tries for humor but it comes out awkward on his tongue because Harry’s being so sweet even though Jade’s probably the one who told him to ask but still it’s _Harry_.

Harry doesn’t talk for a moment; Louis swears he can see the gears turning in his head like he’s working out this elaborate plan before his face lights up with an idea. Maybe the whole light bulb over the head thing isn’t really for cartoons because Louis can see it shining in Harry’s eyes.

He sticks out his hand, “ Come on.”

Louis looks up at Harry and then back to his hand and then back up to his hopeful eyes. He shrugs and laces his smaller hand with Harry’s.

They ease out onto the rink, going slow at first so he can get the feel for the way the skates glide under his feet. He’s holding onto Harry’s hand so tight that he’s sure if he took it away there would be little indents from his stubby fingernails.

He tries to pick up a little more speed, not a lot, but just enough so the six year olds aren’t passing them because even though he’s nineteen and ‘mature’ he does not want to be shown up by a six year old.

After the first loop around he feels a little more confident so he takes up a little more speed and then a little more but then the skates feel like they’re going faster than his feet and he trips over himself and almost lands on his face before a strong arm is wrapping around his waist while another is holding his arm.

“Told you I probably would’ve died,” He laughs,” thanks for not letting me.”

He’s never been so awkward before in front of anyone. He’s usually the one who breaks the awkward tension when he meets some new. But with Harry it’s totally different because he has these huge green eyes that are like new leaves in spring, his curls are deep brown and askew all the time, no matter how many times he shakes them out, and that stupid dimple that’s  as deep as the sea.  So basically he makes Louis tongue tied and trip over his words like a fool.

Harry laughs loud and bright,” It’s alright. Wanna just like grab a pretzel or something?”

“Sure. I’d rather eat than crack my head open.”

Him and Harry are still holding hands when then get off the rink and when they take off their skates Louis does not mutter ‘ _these things fucking tried to kill me_ ’ and Harry definitely does not smile so wide that his face almost cracks in two.

When they’ve both returned their skates and are walking around on flat-shoes again they stand in line for a pretzel. Louis not so subtly slips his hand back into Harry’s, who looks at him with fire-fly glowing eyes and smiles. Louis blushes flower pink and tries to hide his smile.

Once they’ve gotten the pretzel they find a table and wait for the girls, who are now just stumbling off of the rink and laughing so loud that people are shooting them dirty looks. When they come over Perrie rips off a piece of the shared pretzel and pops it into her mouth.

“Heyyyy.” Harry drawls out all mock offended.

Perrie rolls her eyes, “Oooh I’m sorry were you and your _boyfriend_ sharing this?”

Harry turns cherry red and mumbles, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Come on, let’s leave these two. We’ll go get our own pretzel.” Jade says and pulls Perrie away before winking over her shoulder at Louis.

Louis rolls his eyes at her and turns his attention back to Harry, “So how long have you lived here?”

“About three years now. Me and Mum moved here after my sister started Uni.”

“So that’s why you’re so good at speaking it then,” Louis nods to himself.

“Yea, do you speak it at all?”

“A bit. I took it in school but haven’t spoken it in almost a year and a half so I’m rusty.” Louis informs him.

They continue their conversation like that, learning little tidbits about each other and their families. Louis learns that Harry has a sister Gemma and a cat that he swears tries to kill him every time he comes in the house because he like to wrap himself around his legs. He learns that Harry really like music but wants to go to Uni for Sociology or something like that, he says.

Louis tells him about his sisters and his mum and how he still hasn’t called her and he’s been here a month and when he does call her that she’s going to kill him. He tells him about Niall, Zayn, and Liam and how Zayn and Liam have been dancing around each other for two years now _and it’s so sad_ because it’s so obvious. Harry laughs at the stupid jokes he sneaks in.

Before they know it the girls are telling them they need to leave because the place is closing and they all have work tomorrow so they need to go. They both groan out in frustration which earns them and eye roll from both girls.

The drive home is calm and comfortable. They all talk about things that have no importance what so ever. At one point Jade, Perrie, and Harry all have a conversation in just French to piss Louis off. It does piss him off, so he crosses his arms over his chest and pouts like a seven year old before Harry is poking at his sides and making him smile with crinkles by his eyes.

“Right, Louis, you’re first,” Jade says as they pull up to his building. 

He’s not going to lie to himself by saying he actually wants to leave but he slips out of the car with goodbye’s to go around and a ‘ _nice to see you again’_ Harry and he so does not add in a wink.

He starts heading towards his building before he hears the car door opening. He turns around to see an awkward limbed Harry climbing out and rushing over to him.

“Wait, umm, I. Would you like to hang out again?” He asks and Louis loves how any other time when they talk Harry’s confident and bright but when he’s asking him questions like these he’s shy and timid.

“Sure.” Louis chirps.

He brightens up then. It’s almost like Harry is a flower (Louis’ learned a lot about flowers since he’s started in the shop okay) at night when he asks Louis something, he’s down and closed off until Louis answers him positively and then he’s brightening up like the flowers when they first see the sun in the morning.

“Alright, here put your number in.” Harry pulls out his phone and hands it off to Louis. He puts his number in and tells him to call or text so he can save his number.

Harry walks off back into the car and Louis starts heading back to his building he thinks, maybe, he’s not too sure but, he thinks he hears three screams coming from the car when they drive off.

That night just before Louis goes to bed his phone buzzes:

_had fun tonight :) .x_

He saves the number and responds:

_me too. let’s do it again soon ;) x_

Then he puts then phone off to the side and on the charger and falls asleep with a smile on his face. He dreams about fields of sad looking flowers of all colors that have a subtle sweetness to them and he dreams how those flowers open up wide and big when the sun comes up and how they smell like sweet pastries and chocolate croissants.

*

His mum calls him the next day and yells at him for not calling or even texting her. He apologizes and then they talk about what he’s been up to and he tells her all about Harry and how he’s as sweet as he smells because he must work in the bakery in the back coffee house.

His mum coos and teases him and laughs because _of course you found a boy all the way out in France that I can’t meet_. Then he laughs at her and says maybe if it works out Harry will come back for visits and they can do the whole long distance thing, but then stops himself because they haven’t even had a second date yet.

She tells him not to worry about it and that she’s sure that they’ll work out by the way he’s talking about him and to just go out a few times. He rushes her off the phone after that before the conversation becomes too mushy gushy, lovey dovey.

He calls Niall next and tells him all about the date and how wonderful Harry is because he doesn’t seem to want to stop talking about the kid.

“Dude you are so gone for this kid.” Niall laughs, but it’s fond.

“Ughh, I know.” He whines.

“It’ll happen,” Niall states.

Louis doesn’t question it because he doesn’t want to and hopes it does. They end up talking about football and Niall updates him on how Zayn and Liam kissed the other night when they were drunk and how now he’s the middle man and has to deal with them.

Louis wishes him luck on that one and Niall laughs and thanks him because he’ll need it.

*

It takes about a week before Harry asks Louis out for lunch for their second date.

They decide to go when they’re both on their breaks from work so Harry walks over to the flower shop and picks up Louis. Jade coos and teases when he leaves and tells him to be safe. He politely tells her to fuck off with his middle finger raised.

“Those girls are gonna kill us.” He intertwines his fingers with Harry right away. They slip together like lock and key or two puzzles pieces.

“You could say that again.” Harry smiles down at him with that 1000 watt smile.

Louis laughs lightly. It’s sunny out and smells like bread from the bakery they just walked by. There are people everywhere since it’s lunch hour but sometimes it only feels like it’s him and Harry walking through the crowds.

“So where we goin’?” Louis prompts.

“This really great sandwich place,” Harry informs him.

Louis nods. He leans against Harry but it ends up awkward and uncomfortable because of their intertwined hands. Harry ends up lifting his arm up and over Louis’ head to rest it across his shoulder. He snuggles right up to Harry’s side and then lifts his other hand up and ties his fingers with Harry’s hand that’s resting on his shoulder.

They walk like that all the way to the sandwich shop.

When they get there they both order Turkey clubs on fresh bread with lots of vegetables. Harry tells him that’s his favorite sandwich ever in the world. Louis laughs and teases,  “So you’ve had every sandwich in the world before?”

Harry blushes and rolls his eyes, but it’s full of fond so it’s useless.

They play footsies under the table which Louis wins at and ends up hooking their ankles together.

Harry tells him he has to try the chocolate mousse the place makes and even before he can protest Harry is up out of his chair and at the counter ordering.

He comes back with a small plastic container that’s filled with chocolate mousse. It looks fluffy and like chocolate heaven.

After he’s taken off the cap and mixed it a little, Harry scoops some up, “Open.” He tells Louis.

Louis’ not one for being spoon fed but a gorgeous boy has offered to he’s not going to decline. He opens his mouth and lets Harry feed him the mousse. It feels as light as it looks, it’s probably the most chocolaty thing he’s ever tasted but  it’s fantastic and actually makes him moan out loud with how good it tastes.

Apparently he ended up closing his eyes while he was having a taste-gasm or something because when he opens them Harry is staring at him with slightly blown pupils and a parted mouth.

“Mm, that’s really good.” He says and licks his lips.

Harry nods.

“You’re turn.” Louis takes the spoon from him and gives him some. Harry’s already had it so he has nothing to say except to hum at the taste. So after he’s taken some more for himself he goes to give Harry some more but purposely misses his mouth and dots his cheek.

“Oops.” Louis smirks.

Harry goes to wipe it away but Louis stops him and shakes his head. He leans across the table and swipes it off with his thumb. He proceeds to suck his thumb into his mouth without breaking his and Harry’s gaze. He figures he’s tortured him enough when he actually hears him smile.

“Okay, enough of this. Come on I gotta get back to work.”

They leave the shop with half eaten chocolate mousse, Harry who’s in some sort of subspace, hand in hand.

*

Harry comes in when he drops Louis off.

Jade waves to him but Louis makes sure she can’t start bothering them so he asks her to go put the mousse in the employee fridge. She rolls her eyes but sends him a wink.

He goes around the counter and puts his white apron on that says ‘ _Fleurs vers le Soleil’_ on it.

“Tie this for me?”  He asks Harry.

Harry does and not so subtlety pats his bum when he’s finished.

“Cheeky.” Louis smirks.

Harry leans on the counter, hand in his chin and looks up to him.

They stare at each other for heartbeat moments. Then Louis’ eyes shine like light bulbs because Harry’s head is right next to the case of these Norwegian flowers that they just got in. They’re soft yellow and fan out to five points like stars. Primula-Vulgaris, Louis thinks their called.

He grabs one and trims the stem and tucks it behind Harry’s ear. The soft yellow from the flower looks even softer and even brighter against Harry’s dark curls. He blinks at Louis, all hooded eyes and small smiles.

Harry straightens up then, “Well I better head back to work before Perrier burns down the place.”

“Yea, I guess so.”

Harry starts to walk away them but there’s a whisper-shout from the back of the shop that is no doubt Jade, “Kiss him you idiot!”

Harry blushes but walks back over to him.

He leans back on the counter because pathetically that’s perfect height for Louis to kiss him.

Louis figures why not, and ducks his head down in surprise and kisses him short and sweet. He goes to pull back but Harry lifts his hand to the back of his neck and keeps him there and kisses into his mouth. He tastes like chocolate and smells like a mix of croissants and the flower in his hair.

When he pulls back he’s grinning (he’s always grinning, Louis’ a little concerned he might break his face one of these days) with a lilt in his voice he says,” Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir,” He thinks he’s funny because Louis doesn’t understand French but he understands that.

Louis jokes that he’s stunned at first but then whispers, “I don’t put out until the third date.” He pecks him one last time and sends him away with blushing cheeks and a flower in his hair.

He plucks another yellow flower from the case and sticks it behind his own ear. He sighs contently and decides maybe choosing law wasn’t such a bad idea because he ended up freaking out over it and buying a ticket to France where he fell asleep on some random couch in some random coffee shop which lead to him meeting this deathly gorgeous boy who’s as sweet as chocolate mousse and can make him smile like Da Vinci did Mona Lisa. 

**Author's Note:**

> kudos would be great .x


End file.
